When in Aggieland, do as the Aggies do.
Texas A&M is revered for having one of the best game day atmospheres in all of college football, and perhaps more importantly, one of the most unique. The campus is packed with traditions and rituals that create an experience that is truly unique in college football. It may be next to impossible to soak in everything in just one trip, but we’re here to help you.
TOP 12 ‘MUST-DO’s ON A GAME WEEKEND IN COLLEGE STATION
1. Eat local: If there’s one thing you shouldn’t do during a trip to College Station, it’s end up at a chain restaurant. Whether fine dining like The Republic Steakhouse or chicken fingers from Layne’s there’s a local spot for whatever you’re looking for if you’re willing to do the leg work to find it.
2. Downtown Bryan: If you want to get away from campus, downtown Bryan offers a fun mix of shops and restaurants to entertain you for an afternoon or an evening with a distinctive feel.
3. Hit up Northgate: The famed bar district on the north side of campus is packed on game weekends, but is all a part of the experience. In particular, make sure to buy a pitcher at the iconic Dixie Chicken, a bar as Aggie as it gets.
4. Military Walk: Going from north to south through the heart of Texas A&M’s campus, Military Walk takes you to some of the most picturesque parts of campus, including the Century Tree and the Academic Building and it’s iconic dome. If you’re leaving the Northgate bar district, it’s a great way to get to…
5. Midnight Yell Practice: Do we need to practice yells at midnight the night before every home game? No, but we do it anyway. Is it a life-changing experience? No. But it’s an experience you’ll never quite have again, and isn’t that what travelling to new places is all about?
It is tradition for the Head Yell Leader to recite “The Last Corps Trip” at the final Midnight Yell Practice of each year.
This year, Trevor Yelton ’24 had that honor. pic.twitter.com/hOhuEXqDBR
— Texas A&M University (@TAMU) November 18, 2023
6. Bonfire Memorial: The memorial remembers the 12 students who lost their lives in the 1999 Aggie Bonfire collapse. It’s certainly a mood shift from much of what goes on during football game weekends, but it’s an important moment in the school’s history, and says a lot about the Aggie spirit.
7. George H.W. Bush Presidential Library: Another off the beaten path place (it’s on the far southwest side of campus), but it’s chock full of history, and if you’re in town and have a bit of time on your hands, it’s well worth the visit.
8. Memorial Student Center: Whether you’re shopping for apparel at the bookstore, enjoying the air conditioning on a hot day or reading about Texas A&M’s numerous medal of honor winners, the MSC is right across the street from Kyle Field and a popular stop for Aggies and visiting fans alike.
9. Tailgating in Aggie Park: The Tailgate scene at Texas A&M has been great for quite some time, but the recently renovated Aggie Park on the east side of Kyle Field has taken it to a new level. Peruse the tailgates an you’re bound to find a friendly face willing to share some food, drink and college football smack talk. It also has a fishing pond and a creamery, if you’re so inclined.
10. Watch the Corps of Cadets march in: Known as “The Keepers of the Spirit,” the Corps is one of the most unique aspects of a truly unique school. Thousands of cadets march down the street as they make their way into the stadium for gameday, where they all sit together in the “Corps block.”
11. AGGIE FOOTBALL!: If you’re in town for a game weekend, you’ve got to make it to the titular event. When Kyle Field is packed with more than 100,000 fans, including the largest student section in America, it’s an atmosphere that is rarely matched (if ever) in college football. Just make sure that if it’s a day game, you hydrate and bring sunscreen.
Photo by John Rivera/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
12. Stay in your seats for the Aggie Band: You may be tempted at halftime of the football game to head to the concession stand, but make sure you stick around long enough to see the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band perform. As one of the largest military style marching bands in the country, the precision with which they execute their drill is a sight to behold. The nachos can wait.